Wild Card
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: "Is that a challenge?" Axel's eyes glinted dangerously while Luxord grinned mischievously. Xion's stomach sank. Everyone knew better than to challenge Axel and all Organization members were aware that accepting a challenge from Luxord was foolish. The two combined was a recipe for disaster...and the ruin of Axel's reputation. Written for Akushi Day, could be shipping or friendship
1. Lost the Game

**I DO NOT OWN TETSUYA NOMURA'S KINGDOM HEARTS**

**I'm on semi-hiatus but I couldn't miss Akushi Day 2013 :). The akushi in this could either be shipping or just teenage awkwardness. I've been reading a ton of stories in which Axel gets transformed by some kind of spell but I could find none that included Xion. So here it is :D! Updates may be a bit slow but I only have a few more paragraphs to write in this multi-chapter story before it's done. Enjoy!**

**XXX**

There it was—subtle and dangerous as ever. It made its presence known like a red flag, snagging attention and eliciting alarm. There was no denying its existence…and it made Xion want to crawl beneath the Grey Room coffee table.

Biting her lip, the girl nervously twirled a strand of her raven hair. She stared at Axel with the widest, bluest, roundest puppy-dog eyes she could manage. He did not look at her. He just stood there, his thin form tense and his crimson hair jagged like the tongues of fire. He…and that subtle, dangerous glint in his peridot eyes.

Xion shot an anxious glance toward the man at whom he was staring. Luxord was casually seated on one of the stiff, white lounge chairs. His platinum blonde brows were casually arched. His ice blue eyes were not the slightest bit darkened by the prospect of the wildfire several feet away from him, just waiting to combust. He just shuffled his cards and smiled his usual knowing smile.

Number XIV gave her friend's hand a gentle tug. "Axel…" she whispered urgently. "…don't do it!"

But he ignored her. Eyes never leaving the Gambler of Fate, he slowly folded his arms over his chest. He tilted his head upward, making his eyes flash more and his purple tattoos look even more sharp than usual.

"Is that a challenge?"

Xion emitted a sigh. Mumbled in that smooth, almost evil tone, it was the question of fate. It had been asked and there was no turning back now. She shot Luxord a look of desperation.

Luxord met her eyes briefly. He gave her a slight shrug before standing to face the Flurry of Dancing Flames and replying, "I suppose you could call it that."

Xion wanted to tear her hair out. _No! Not this again! _Everyone knew better than to challenge Axel because Axel always took them on. Moreover, everyone knew better than to accept one of Luxord's challenges because losing aforementioned challenge usually resulted in one being turned into a playing card or dice for a few hours…or days. When these two sacred "No's" of the Castle that Never Was came into contact with one another…nothing good could be the result.

"Axel, please!" Xion begged him. "At least wait 'til later…you still have your mission! If anything goes wrong—"

"Nothing's gonna go wrong," Axel cut her off, grinning crookedly. "'Cuz I'm gonna beat our resident cardshark at his own game. Got it memorized?"

The girl was not convinced. Her chest tightened and she could swear that she actually felt fear. "B-but Axel…Saix will…"

Finally, the redheaded young man turned to face her. When he saw his friend's worried expression, his own impish visage softened a bit. He affectionately ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry, Xi. I'll be fine—promise."

Xion still did not believe him. She opened her mouth to protest once more, but Axel faced Luxord again before she had the chance. "So, what are the rules?"

A wry smile twisted Luxord's lips. He absently played with his cards, making them shuffle and orbit each other. "The rules are simple. I will transform myself into a card and shuffle myself in with all the others. The cards will then be spread out before you. All you have to do…is locate my card." His catlike grin widened. "Think you can manage that, pyro?"

Axel puffed out his chest slightly, his trademark smirk coming into view. "Piece of cake!" he cockily replied.

"Ah, but if fate deals you an unfortunate hand…" the man held up a warning finger. "…will you be able to cope with the ramifications?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "I think I can deal with being a playing card for a few hours. Heh, it might even get me out of my mission. Everybody wins!"

Luxord was wearing a crafty expression that Xion found suspicious.

"It matters not if you can deal with _that_…and I don't think you'll be able to weasel out of your duties so easily."

"_What does that mean?"_ Xion wondered, frowning deeply. _"Everything this man says is a riddle wrapped in a game…"_

Axel snorted nonchalantly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he replied, folding his arms behind his head. "So, if I win, you have to do my mission today. It's an unpleasant one too…Cymbal Monkeys in Twilight Town. Ugh, I swear, I think Saix is trying to get back at me for accidentally hitting him with that confusion spell…he destroyed almost half of the castle's left wing that day."

He showed his incisors in a devilish grin. In spite of her unease, Xion giggled. "Are you sure you did that by accident?"

"That's my story in the official report and I'm stickin' with it," he winked back at her.

Luxord chuckled, saying, "All right. And if I win, I'll get a good laugh before I depart on my own mission. There's nothing like lightening one's spirits before diving into the grandest poker game of all. Are you ready?"

Xion sat on a nearby couch, wanting to help but knowing that doing so would be cheating. Smirking, Axel placed his hands on his hips.

"Bring it."

"Very well," Number X tossed the cards into the air. "Look closely."

Instantly, one of the silver and white playing cards waxed large—the size of a full-grown man. It enveloped Luxord in its flat embrace, changing his form into a two-dimensional image on its face. The rest of the cards also grew to the same size. Xion saw that some were blank and others had markings that she could not quite discern. Once all of the cards were equal in size, they all laid themselves face down. Now, each and every one looked identical. She could, however, still recall which one was the Luxord card. That is…until they began to shuffle.

Luxord's deck swam over the Grey Room floor like an agitated school of fish. To keep track of one card seemed an impossible feat. Xion's forget-me-not eyes sought frantically for the transformed Organization member…but she had no inkling whatsoever which card was his.

A lump of phantom worry formed in her throat. Glancing at Axel, she saw that his face was deadly serious. Narrowed in concentration, his emerald eyes moved rapidly. She wasn't sure they were having any more luck than hers.

Finally, Number VIII raised a spindly arm and pointed. "There. That one."

A single card froze amid its chaotic swarm of look-alikes. It rose until it was perpendicular with the ground. Its faced was turned away from view.

"This one?" Luxord asked. His voice echoed all around them, making it impossible to gauge his location.

"Yes," Axel replied firmly.

A light chuckle sounded. "Are you quite certain?"

Xion's gloved fingers dug into the couch. She saw Axel blink, but he otherwise kept his expression neutral. "Yeah, I'm sure."

The card advanced, though its contents were still tauntingly concealed.

"Is this truly your final answer?" Luxord queried. His grin was evident in his voice.

Taken aback, Xion thought, _"Is he trying to psych Axel out? Or maybe…could it be that he's…?"_

Before she could finish the thought, Axel growled loudly. "What is this, 'Who Wants to be A Millionaire'?" he snapped. "That's the card! Got it memorized?"

Soft laughter echoed once more. "Confident, eh?" The Gambler's voice retorted. "Let's see if Lady Luck is on your side."

The other cards stilled their perpetual movement. They stacked themselves into a neat pile while the chosen trump moved to float directly before Axel. Both he and Xion stiffened. The card hovered. Then, it sluggishly swiveled…until its identity was visible to all.

If Xion had had a heart, it would have dropped at what she saw. Rather than the flat image of Luxord, she and her friend were staring at the Roman Numerals of a clock face.

"Oh no…" Xion pressed her hands over her mouth.

Axel cursed under his breath. Appearing in a swirl of darkness, Luxord grinned Cheshire Catlike. "Where's your confidence now, pyro?"

"Bite me."

"It seems as if Lady Luck has dealt you a wildcard."

"More like a joker…" Axel smirked, though his expression was wary since he knew he had just lost one of Luxord's challenges—a dangerous mistake to any Organization member.

But Number X shook his head, "Not necessarily," was his cryptic reply.

Xion frowned. The Flurry of Dancing Flames shot him an incredulous look. "Exactly what part of getting turned into a playing card is—"

Laughing, Luxord snapped his fingers. Before Axel could finish his question, his form was surrounded by silvery smoke. Black and gunmetal tendrils of nothingness sparked about the mist, giving it an almost electric quality.

Xion gasped in horror. "Axel!" she cried, leaping from the couch.

But there was nothing she could do. She knew what was coming next—Axel would get turned into a playing card or a dice cube. Luxord would warp away to complete his assigned mission, effectively avoiding any consequences for his actions and Saix would blow a gasket at Number VIII for accepting one of Luxord's infamous challenges. Xion buried her face in her hands, waiting for the crackling of the smoke to cease.

When it did, she cautiously peeked out between her fingers. Most of the fog was still dissipating…but she could make out a vaguely humanoid figure within its depths. Gasping, the girl dropped her hands. Cards and cubes didn't look like people. Was it possible that Luxord had decided to take pity on the younger man? Or had he seen Xion's despaired reaction and decided to let Axel slide this one time?

Hope blossomed quickly within Xion's chest. Perhaps things would be okay; perhaps there was a chance! The relief vanished as rapidly as it had come when the air around her friend finally grew clear. She could only stand stock-still and gawk, dumbfounded at the sight before her.

"What…in the worlds…Axel…?"

It was Axel who stood there all right—not a flat or cube representation of him, but a flesh and blood…or rather nothingness and fire individual. But he was different. _Very_ different. The redhead's fiery hair was a lot shorter, slightly resembling a matchstick atop his head. His green eyes were larger, rounder, and lacked the teardrop tattoos he usually sported beneath them. He still donned his usual inky cloak…but it had shrunk to suit his now smaller, ganglier body.

Number XIV's mouth dropped open in shock. She leaned back against the couch to keep herself from falling over. _"Call me crazy…but he looks like he's my age now!" _In fact, he was only a few inches or so taller than she was.

Folding his arms, Luxord surveyed his handiwork while visibly trying to hold back laughter. Axel blinked for several long moments. He flexed his fingers, tested his feet, and rolled his neck. His fourteen-year-old face contorted with perplexity.

"I don't feel any different," he said in a voice that was significantly higher pitched than his usual tone. "Luxord, what did you…?"

As he turned to face the Gambler of Fate, his young eyes landed on Xion. He froze when he saw her flabbergasted expression. His eyebrows furrowed.

"What is it, Xion?"

Xion swallowed against her dry throat. She shook her head slowly. "I-I…I don't…"

Axel's eyes widened in alarm.

**Uh-oh...Axel's a kid again! Haha I hope you liked and please review :D! Please no flames.  
**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	2. Lucky Break

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Here's chapter two! Thank you to SuperSonic22 and anyone else who read, favorited or reviewed this story :D!**

**XXX**

The pyro vanished into a dark portal, probably to find a mirror. Moments later, Xion could swear she heard a half horrified, half enraged yell coming from the washroom. The redhead reappeared in the silver-walled chamber. His child form was literally simmering with flames as he stormed toward Luxord.

"WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO TO ME?" he screamed at the man.

Luxord was grinning madly. "I told you it mattered not if you could deal with being turned into a playing card. That's because I never planned to do that to you should you lose. Instead I decided to play with time a little…you really should ensure that you know all the rules before you start a game, my hotheaded friend."

Xion bit her lip while Axel glared venomously. "Turn. Me. Back. NOW," he hissed in a terrifying voice that was a bit closer to his usual one. Flames sprung upward from his body with each clearly-enunciated word.

Luxord merely shrugged in response. "Unfortunately I cannot," he replied with no remorse whatsoever. "You chose to play. It is only fair that you accept the implications of losing. Don't worry too much though; the spell will wear off by tomorrow. Until then, you can enjoy your little trip down _memory lane_…" He flashed a wicked grin.

Number VIII's eyes went from simmering to flaming. Moaning, Xion pulled her hood over her head while her companion began shouting various foul threats at Number X. Luxord simply laughed in response.

_"Oooooh, how did this happen?"_ Xion wished that her cloak would turn into one of invisibility. _"The morning started out so peacefully…then Luxord had to come along and start egging Axel on…"_

Realizing this, the girl felt a twinge of annoyance nag at her brain. She had half a mind to take out her Keyblade and give Luxord a good smack. Right as she started to feel the familiar tingle of light playing about her fingers…Saix entered the room.

The man's long blue hair swished with his rapid pace. His face was set in its standard expression of cold indifference, though his golden eyes were fiercely narrowed. Clearly, he was not pleased at the prospect of dealing with his underlings' antics this early in the day.

"I heard shouting and death threats all the way in the Round Room; if someone is wreaking undue havoc upon my perfectly-planned schedule _so help me_ I will _personally_ feed their idiotic non-beings to that cursed three-headed dog in Olympus…!"

Number VII trailed off when he sighted the spectacle before him—namely a stressed Xion trying to blend into the couch; an infuriated, still-shouting Axel flailing his arms as he tried to assault Luxord; and an amused Gambler who was preventing the boy from tackling him simply by keeping his palm against Axel's forehead.

For several seconds, Saix just stood there, staring. Xion hugged her knees to her chest and tried to look as small as possible. Saix was never in a good mood, especially around her, but when he went berserk…chaos, destruction, and bloodshed…nothingness-shed…whatever, ensued.

Apparently absorbing the situation, Saix squeezed his eyes shut, making the X-shaped scar on his forehead wrinkle. He took several deep breaths before addressing the group.

"Axel…Luxord…Number XIV…what in the name of light and darkness is going on here?" he asked in an eerie calm.

So much for going unnoticed. Nervously wringing her fingers, Xion got to her feet. "W-Well…I, uh…they were…umm…."

"Luxord's a cheater, that's what!" Axel yelled shrilly, his eyes blazing between the man's fingers.

Luxord "tsked". "I never cheat. You did not ask the right questions."

"Oh, well, for some reason it never dawned on me to ask, 'Hey, Lux, you gonna turn me into a dwarf if I lose the game?' I'm not a freakin' telepath! How in the worlds was I supposed to know that you'd—"

"I told you that I wanted a laugh before my mission, didn't I?"

Axel snarled something unintelligible and undoubtedly vile. He yanked his head out of the man's grip as smoke rose from his ignited body. Luxord doubled over in laughter. Saix watched. His eyebrow twitched. A vein began steadily pulsing in his forehead.

When it looked like Axel was really about to hurt Number X, the Luna Diviner barked, "Xion. Restrain him."

Needing no further encouragement, Xion rushed forward and interposed herself between the two warring Nobodies. She grabbed Axel by his shoulders, careful to avoid the flaming areas.

"Axel, you have to calm down," she said softly but firmly.

Still growling, the redhead flicked his gaze to hers. Their eyes locked…and he froze. Xion too felt herself transfixed by the sight. Never before had she been able to look at him this closely. In his normal state, she would have had to stand on a stool to do so. Her lips pursed lightly and she tilted her head, studying him. Despite the anger, his face looked so bright and innocent. Only now did the girl notice how pretty his irises were…like burning pieces of jade. They were especially notable without the tear marking distracting from them. She felt her face grow a bit hot, though she didn't know why.

Upon further inspection, Xion noticed that Axel's face had gained a slight crimson hue. She wasn't sure if it was left over from his fury at Luxord…or something else entirely. Feeling self-conscious, she released him. She dropped her head, suddenly finding her pointed boots fascinating.

Number VIII too seemed abruptly distracted. He scratched his head, a movement Xion had often seen him make when he seemed uncomfortable about something. His eyes looked at anything and everything but hers. The fire encompassing him gradually faded away.

Satisfied with Number XIV's work, Saix grunted and turned to the blonde. "Luxord, get on with your mission," he commanded. "We will speak of this later."

Luxord bowed his head in mock penitence. "Yes sir…later." But Xion could still make out the depraved grin on his pale features.

Standing upright, Luxord nodded to Saix; then to Xion. He smirked at Axel, eliciting a low growl from the boy, before he vanished into a dark portal.

With one of two problems out of his hair, the Luna Diviner let out a heavy sigh. He knitted his scarred forehead while turning to the redhead.

"Le…Axel…what am I going to do with you?" he mumbled.

Axel grunted and shuffled his feet awkwardly. Xion, on the other hand, frowned in perplexity. She wondered what Saix had been about to call her friend… something that started with the letter "L."

Before she could ponder it, however, two laughing entities appeared in the chamber.

Sporting his usual eye patch, scar, and ropelike ponytail, one of them was Xigbar. His lone amber eye glinted as he grinned puckishly, listening to the, most likely, "tall" tales of a certain mullet-wearing sitar player.

"As if I'd be stupid enough to get involved in that. Dude, you're talking about suicide here!"

Demyx shook his head quickly. "Nah, man, I'm talkin' about awesome! I filched the stuff from some miner dudes in Dwarf Woodlands. All we gotta do is wait 'till X-face is busy nitpicking our reports and then slip it in his pillowcase. Then, BOOM! He goes to bed, his head hits the pillow, and the rumors'll be—"

Turning his head, Demyx realized they were not alone. When he saw the Grey Room's occupants, his teal eyes widened in the classic "deer-in-the-headlights" look. All color drained from his face.

"ACK! Uh, hey, whazzup, Saix, didn't see ya there!" he babbled, grinning sheepishly.

Xion winced.

Saix regarded Number IX icily. "Demyx…I gave you your mission assignment one hour ago. I suggest that you _make yourself scarce_."

Sweatdropping, Demyx gave the man a double thumbs-up. "Recon in Halloween Town, yippee! Sounds like fun!" he then fled into a dark portal, practically screaming, "Niceseeingyagottagobye!"

Xion let out a small breath. Beside her, she heard young Axel snicker.

"Heheh, I'd like to be in on whatever he's planning…"

Xion resisted the urge to facepalm. "Not with as much trouble as you're in right now you don't," she mumbled.

Saix seemed to be practicing his deep breathing as he took his usual station at the wall of windows. Xion thought she heard him mutter something about needing to keep a supply of aspirin on-hand. Still glancing over his shoulder at the Melodious Nocturne's dissipating portal, Xigbar came forward.

"Pffft, wimp…." He muttered, sniggering. "He's got great ideas but is either too lazy or too chicken to follow through on 'em…"

His head swiveled back toward the trio. When his eye landed on Axel, he halted. Surprise danced across the Freeshooter's grizzly face. He quickly covered it up by scratching his chin and scrutinizing the pyro with mock pensiveness.

"There's something different about you, Flamesilocks…You do something new with your hair?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Axel gave a look that was the epitome of sarcasm. "OMG you noticed the new cut! Amazing how many inches all that hair took off of me…not to mention a few years!" He glared, placing his hands on his hips.

Xion placed her hand on his arm, hoping to calm him. Normally, her friend wasn't this temperamental. She guessed that the maturity loss had shortened his patience as well as his height.

"Soooooooo." Xigbar drolled with a meaningful look toward Saix. "I'm guessing our favorite time bandit worked his magic on the pyro here?"

Saix nodded. "Your guess is correct, however it is no concern of yours. He scribbled something on his clipboard, saying, "You will have to take over the Twilight Town mission since its original owner is no longer fit for the job."

Number VII cast a glare of utter vexation toward the redhead. Axel sweatdropped and stared at a speck on the floor in reply.

The Freeshooter raised his palms defensively. "Alright, alright, don't get your robe in a knot, Wolfy. I'm going."

Deep purple energy surrounded his thin form and he reappeared on the ceiling, standing on it as if it were the floor. The older man opened a portal up there. He paused before stepping into it.

"Before I leave I just gotta say…" he positioned both of his thumbs and forefingers in a frame shape around his view of Axel and Xion. "…these two are just too cute together. Little Poppet and Little Spitfire…a match made in heaven, I'd say!"

Xion felt that funny hot sensation on her face again. She felt Axel stiffen next to her. A burst of fire blossomed in his hand and he hurled it at Xigbar. Cackling, Xigbar fled into the safety of a portal. The fireball struck the ceiling, leaving a black scorch mark on the pristine metal as proof of its wielder's newfound hotheadedness.

Saix was pinching the bridge of his nose, fighting off a migraine. "How that man got to be second-in-command eludes me…"

Xion shrugged, though it was an absent gesture. Her face still felt like it was on fire. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to look at Axel. Why? Was it because of what Xigbar had said? What had he even meant by those clearly mocking words?

She didn't know but she did notice that Axel looked as uncomfortable as she felt. Maybe he would explain all of this to her later. He was good at explaining things. Right now, things just felt too…awkward.

For once, the girl was grateful when Saix fixed them with his reproachful gaze. "Don't think for a second that your idiocy has earned you a 'get-out-of-work-free' card, Axel," he said.

"Dear God, he made a joke…" Axel's smirk looked even more brazen than usual on his younger face.

Number XIV had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at that. Saix glowered at the boy.

"I had originally assigned Xion Luxord's mission, but it seems that I will be sticking the two of you together. You may still be able to use magic, Axel, but I suspect that your weapons will be useless until that spell wears off."

Axel shot the man a frown. "Wait, why're you dragging Xion down with me? She did nothing wrong, got it memorized?

"Seeing as Number XIV saw fit to neither stop your foolish game nor seek help, Xion is just as deserving of blame. I am sending you both to eradicate the Emerald Serenade that just appeared in Wonderland."

Xion dipped her head, accepting the judgment. Number VIII, on the other hand, was outraged. "What? You mean that caffeine-high Heartless who never freaking stops—"

"Moving?" Saix completed with a hint of a condescending smile. "Why yes, I do." He scrawled a few more notes as he added, "It would be prudent for you to depart quickly."

Axel bristled and his green eyes flared. "Oh yeah? Well it would be prudent for _you _to—"

Before he could finish the insult, Xion grabbed his wrist and dragged him into a Dark Corridor. She didn't want his mouth to get them into any more trouble.

Xion felt that they had gotten off easy with the Emerald Serenade. Push Saix too far and he might send them after an Infernal Engine…or a Leechgrave.

**Haha well THIS should be interesting :). Oh, and if you didn't figure it out, Demyx was talking about putting silver in Saix's pillow case. Anyways, I hope you liked and please review :D! I can't remember how long this story is...maybe five or more chapters. **

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	3. Working a Strategy

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

** Chapter 3 :)! Thanks for so many favorites and followers! **

**XXX**

"Maybe I'll mess up all the times on his clock collection so he's late for his missions…nah, too lenient. Hmm…"

Surrounded by rose bushes and leafy walls, Axel sat cross-legged on the ground of Wonderland's infamous hedge maze. His crimson brows furrowed. His gloved fingers drummed on his knees as he racked his brain for a suitable method of exacting revenge on the Gambler of Fate.

He just couldn't believe that this had happened to him. He, the Organization's sly, clever, cunning assassin had been bested by that blonde, riddle-spewing, King of Go-Fish! The very thought made his body temperature rise a few degrees.

Axel stared hard at a blue caterpillar inching through the grass, his frown deepening. As much as he didn't want to admit it, deep down he knew it was his fault. He had been careless. He should have examined Luxord's every word more carefully, but he had just brushed them off as the man's usual, enigmatic way of speaking. Why? Number VIII had never been that flippant at Castle Oblivion. Something had made him lose his edge since then.

Irritation flared like a wildfire once more. Axel had to force the flames to remain dormant within his black-clad body. He wasn't used to being this hotheaded. Sighing, he ran a hand over his much-shorter hair. This spell had done a number not only on his body, but his head as well. Head…

That was it!

Axel snapped his fingers and leapt to his feet. Grinning, he proclaimed, "I got it!"

In a vortex of flame, one of his silver and scarlet chakrams materialized in his hand. "Next time Lux gets a mission to Wonderland, I'll sneak over, steal the Queen's tarts, and tell the trading card patrol _he_ did it! Then, WHACK!" he swung the sharp object, successfully severing a rose from its bush. "Off with his conniving head!"

Unfortunately, what goes up must come down—Axel's chakram was not exempt from this rule. Failing to conform to his juvenile size, the circular weapon was now too large and heavy for him. His muscles screamed in protest at the weight. He was forced to drop the chakram to the ground. It lay there glinting next to the red rose for a moment before evaporating in a cloud of smoke and sparks.

Hissing in pain, the redhead rubbed at his strained biceps. "Crap, I hate it when Isa—Saix! I mean Saix…is right…" he grumbled, swallowing hard at his mistake.

Though he was still gazing sourly at the pile of fading embers, Axel could feel a pair of quiet eyes on him.

"Maybe you should just let it go…" Xion's worried voice tentatively suggested.

Lips curling at the thought, Axel shook his head stubbornly. "No way—this time the time lord has gone too far. He has to be taught a lesson, got it memorized?'

Pressing a finger against his temple to emphasize the point, he turned to look at her. Xion was focused on the labyrinth ahead of her, her dark hair blowing lightly in the breeze. Her Keyblade lay on the earth at her side. She was resting on her knees as she watched for the Emerald Serenade Heartless. Another annoying thing about that particular breed was that, as their health diminished, their speed increased. By now, they had weakened the thing enough so that keeping up with it was impossible. They had been forced to wait and ambush it whenever it flitted past…bit by tedious little bit.

The entire monotonous process made Axel want to smash, mutilate, or burn something. Since any of these three courses of action would attract undesired attention to the Organization members, he suppressed the urge by plotting sweet vengeance. At least it helped keep his mind off his human child form…and the memories being in such a form inevitably aroused.

_"Heh, seeing as I almost let Isa slip back there, I need all the help I can get…"_ he thought grimly. His fingers tightened into fists.

Seeming to sense the boy's edgy mood, Xion finally looked up at him. Axel was struck by her visage—how innocent, caring, and worried she looked. Before the Organization received its thirteenth and fourteenth members, Axel had gotten used to relationships with strings attached. Now, in the face of unbridled concern, he felt uncomfortable. Feeling his face grow hot, he looked away.

_"Geez, I'm being as awkward as Roxas…" _

"Axel…" Xion began, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I really think you should just leave Luxord alone. I mean you _did_ kinda lose the game…."

Rolling his eyes, the pyro placed his hands on his hips. "When did you become Luxord's best friend forever?" he asked without thinking.

"I'm not, I just…" Xion's eyes flicked downward and she dipped her head.

Axel could follow her thought. His petulant gaze softened. She cared for Axel—that was why she didn't want him to prank Luxord. She was worried that the hothead would get himself into trouble…worried for _his_ sake.

The Flurry of Dancing flames let out a small breath. He sat down next to her, stretching his legs out before him and leaning his weight back on his palms. She shot him a sheepish glance and he smiled.

"Don't worry about me, Xi," he said gently. "I've been in Organization XIII longer than he has. I know how to pull stuff and not get caught," he added with a crooked grin, jabbing a thumb into his chest.

Xion's eyes brightened a little and she laughed softly. She then resumed her watch for their target. Axel studied her profile, tilting his head to one side. Some of the rather pointed things he'd said to her echoed in his brain, haunting him with imaginary guilt. His throat clenched uncomfortably at what he felt he _had_ to say next.

"Hey…sorry you had to take some of the heat for me." She faced him, surprised. He gave her a shamefaced look. "I know I'm not the sunniest kid on the block today…"

The girl's face grew slightly pink. She nodded, saying, "It's okay…" then she hesitated.

Axel faced her more fully, raising his eyebrows. "What is it?"

Xion averted his gaze. Wringing her fingers, she shook her head, probably about to deny what he was implying. Axel gently put his hand over her mouth.

"I'm not gonna stop bugging you 'till you tell me what's up," he grinned wryly. "Got it memorized?"

Xion's blush deepened, but her eyes were smiling. Taking that as a sign of resignation, Axel dropped his hand. He waited patiently while she stared down at her hands, folded neatly upon her lap.

"…You know the ice cream lady in Twilight Town?" Number XIV finally asked.

The redhead blinked. Whatever he was expecting, it certainly hadn't been that. "Yeah…?"

"Well…she told me once that she sometimes wishes she was a young girl again—like me. I've heard a lot of older people talk about being young again. They seem…I dunno…wistful about it I guess. So I was wondering…why are you so upset about being my age again?"

Those soft yet piercing eyes locked with his. Axel felt his eyes widen involuntarily. A wave of unease washed over him and he covered it up with his usual nervous habit. Tugging at a ruby spike of hair, he avoided looking into those soul-searching eyes.

_"Oh man…talk about a loaded question. I'm not about to give her the main reason for my foul mood…" _

Forcing himself to meet her gaze, Axel gave his secondary reason. "Well…just because they say they'd like to be young again doesn't mean they'd want it forever. People learn stuff as they get older." He averted her eyes again, an annoying habit he'd picked up while telling only half-truths to his young friends.

"I guess I just feel weak in this form. I wasn't like you and Roxas at this age. I wasn't nearly as strong." Chuckling, he looked up at the pallid Wonderland sky. "I'm also not looking forward to putting up with Xigbar and the others giving me grief about it for the rest of the week."

Xion hummed softly, tapping her lips. Her eyes lit up and she offered, "Well, at least Roxas will be training all day at Olympus Coliseum. He won't be at the Clock Tower so he won't see you the way you are now."

Her expression was so earnest and Axel couldn't help but smile fondly. He reached over to ruffle her dark hair. It felt longer than usual beneath his smaller fingers.

"True, Xion…very true."

Silence fell upon them once again, but Number VIII was far from being bored. His mind worked like a freight train, traveling down tracks of thought he'd never pondered before now. This form…it really was a lot harder to live in than his normal one.

Without fully realizing he was speaking out loud, Axel murmured, "…How do you do it?"

"Hmm?" Xion cocked her head. "What?"

Axel wanted to smack his own forehead. There it was again—the blatant frivolousness that had been so prevalent in him when he was a kid. For a fleeting moment, he wished he had been endowed with Xigbar's element so that he could snatch the words right out of space. But then…wishing was pointless. He had dropped the bombshell question. It was up to him to pick up the pieces.

Axel sighed, running a hand over his sharp hair. "You and Roxas…how do you pull off this job?" he inquired. "I mean…Organization XIII's work is dangerous. I didn't realize how much until I more or less stepped into your shoes. It's certainly not for two minors such as yourselves," he added teasingly, trying to regain his composure.

Xion's eyes were distant as she pondered the question. "Well…maybe it's because Roxas and I have no memories of our human childhoods. We have no human lives to compare our Nobody lives to, so…it doesn't seem especially hard."

The pyro nodded briefly before looking down at the grass again. _"It definitely doesn't seem like an occupation two kids should have…"_ he thought, feeling his face harden somberly.

Number XIV said nothing for a long while. When she did speak, there was a reassuring laugh in her voice. "One thing I have learned…" she started. "…is to keep a positive attitude whenever possible—something you should really consider doing, Axel."

"Huh?" Axel shot her a confused look.

Giggling, the girl got into a crouch, an adorable mischievousness dancing across her pale features. "If your face gets any longer, your jaw will be dragging the ground. Got it memorized?"

She pointed at her head, mimicking his earlier action. Feeling amusement lighten the tension within his core, the pyro arched his eyebrows. He kept himself from smiling though. Somehow, he found himself curious about what course of action this bolder side of the timid Xion would take.

"Oh? And what will you do if I _don't_ cheer up?"

Grinning playfully, the girl reached forward and cupped his face between her hands. He felt paralyzed at the sudden unexpected contact. She tried to form his mouth into a smile with her thumbs as Axel had once watched Sora do to Namine at Castle Oblivion.

"I'm not gonna stop bugging you 'till you smile!" Xion announced in a sing-song voice.

Casting aside his usual standoffish nature, Axel found himself laughing uncontrollably. Later, he knew he would tell himself it was due to his child self's prominent traits…but he wasn't completely sure of the veracity of that claim. Xion's delicate fingers worked at his face and he struggled to grab at them.

"S-stop, Xi! It t-t-tickles!"

Struggling to get to his feet, the boy lost his balance. He fell into Xion, landing her on her back on the soft grass. Axel was unable to keep himself from falling on top of her.

Feeling her petite form beneath his slightly larger when, Axel was instantly assaulted by a fiery flush. Far-too-realistic embarrassment swept through his hollow core like a tidal wave.

_"Nice move, Axel!"_ his mind screamed at him. _"If she's anything like Larxene, she'll probably slam you with some rather painful magic and give you the silent treatment for the next week!"_

But Xion wasn't Larxene. She didn't get upset at capricious little things, let alone things that were an accident—an awkward accident but an accident nonetheless. Axel hurried to push himself up so that he was hovering over her. His hands were braced on the ground on either side of the girl's head. She looked up at him, mouth laughing and eyes sparkling. Those swirling eyes of deep azure…

Humiliation fading into the background, Axel studied her cheery face. He had always found her cute, but he hadn't really noticed how much until now. Xion was beautiful…and for once, he didn't feel as if he was staring into the face of Namine. It was Xion's face…her bright, pretty face that he could finally see up close now that he had lost a few inches in height.

Axel must have been in a zone for several seconds because he snapped out of it to find Xion blinking those cobalt eyes up at him. Her ivory skin was tinged with a crimson flush. She looked confused. Then, her eyes abruptly opened wide.

"_Uh-oh, now I'm in for it!"_ The pyro leapt to his feet, stammering out an apology as his face darkened to match his hair. Stupid teenage hormones….

Xion sat up slowly. But rather than hauling back to slap the living daylights out of the guy who had just fallen on her, she beamed brightly.

"You just gave me an idea of how to beat the Heartless!"

**XXX**

**Hmm, wonder what she has in mind...This probably seemed more shippy than the other chapters, but once again, if you don't like that pairing, you can see it as Axel is simply under a spell that's making him act like an awkward kid :).**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	4. Roll of the Dice

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Hiya :D! Thanks for all the favorites and to SpiritDreamWarriors for reviewing :)! Let's see if Axel and Xion can get rid of that pesky Heartless...**

**XXX**

Utterly confused by his friend's sudden exclamation, Axel scratched his head. "Uhhh, say what?"

Xion stood up and retrieved her Keyblade. Axel followed her gaze toward the miles of labyrinth spread out before them. He briefly glimpsed the pointed top of the Emerald Serenade's head peeking over terrestrial walls every so often. It was getting closer.

The girl explained, "When the Heartless comes within range, you jump on top of it and pin it down. That way, me and the Keyblade can finish it off without it escaping."

The Flurry of Dancing Flames rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about it. Then, he wanted to facepalm. Of course, the idea was unconventional but brilliant. He should have been the one to think of it!

"_I guess I shouldn't be surprised…"_ he thought dryly. _"Isa was always the one coming up with clever plans when we were kids…" _A light twinge pricked his chest at the memory. He ignored it.

"Okay, sure," Axel nodded, grinning. "Let's give it a shot." It would be a risky roll of the dice, but it was their best bet.

Just then, the Emerald Serenade came into view. Its curvy body shone in all its viridian glory. It was barreling forward at full throttle…which meant they didn't have a second to squander.

Booted feet pounding on the earth, Axel indulged in a running start before launching himself at the creature. He slammed into its smooth, bulky body at full force and clung. Though his arms did not cover the Heartless's full circumference, his weight was at least enough to drag it to the ground.

Axel grunted as he restrained the thrashing monstrosity. Its golden eyes glowed and it screeched in fury. Wasting no time, Xion unleashed a flurry of slashes at her target. Her eyes burned like the hot blue core of a torch and her blade seemed like a whirlwind of silver. Axel was grateful that she avoided the black streaks marring the Emerald Serenade's green hide—those streaks being his spindly arms.

When the creature was near death, it gave a final mighty jerk. Axel was sent flying into a hedge.

"Not fun…" he grumbled as he righted himself, picking leaves out of his messy hair.

Having shaken off its hitchhiker, the creature fled down a straight pathway in the maze. It was on its last legs. It wobbled in the air and constantly bumped off the walls.

"Hurry!" Xion grabbed Axel's hand. "We can't let it escape!"

With no hesitation, they took off after their target. The pathway was long…but there was a turn at the end of it. Beyond that probably lay a myriad of twists and escape routes for the beast to utilize. Axel bore down and pushed harder, cursing his shorter legs. If they let the cursed thing escape, they would have to wait Kingdom Hearts knew how long for it to show up again!

Then, an idea struck him. It might just be their only shot. Freeing his hand from Xion's, the redhead skidded to a halt. Xion kept running but shot him a bewildered look over her shoulder.

"What are you—?"

"Just keep going!" Axel called to her.

He then formed his hand into a cup shape. He allowed a perfect sphere of crackling fire to grow within it, as a child might shape a ball out of clay. Acid eyes narrowing, he focused on the Emerald Serenade. It was many yards ahead of him…and he only had one shot. Moreover, he couldn't land a killing blow. Xion had to do that so that its heart would be collected.

Tensing, Axel cursed softly. He had to stop thinking about all the "don'ts" of what he was about to attempt. He didn't want to jinx himself after all. Staring hard at the beast, he pulled back his arm like a pitcher.

"All right…here goes nothin'…" he murmured and hurled it.

The fireball ripped through the air with an audible hiss. Xion gasped as it flew past her. No doubt she felt its heat on her face. It soared…and clipped the Heartless at the top of its sharp head. The blow did not serious hurt it. It did, however, cause the thing to spin wildly and lose speed.

"Perfect…" Axel grinned with devilish triumph.

Shouting praise back to her friend, the raven-haired girl leapt upon her target. She drove the business end of her Keyblade into its shadowy face. That blow could be nothing short of fatal. The Emerald Serenade froze for several moments, looking like a paused movie. It then exploded into spiraling shades of green and black.

Halting a couple yards or so away, Axel gawked at the spectacle. He watched the massive, glistening, blood-red heart rise into the air. It then evaporated, transported to Kingdom Hearts. So transfixed by the sight, he failed to register in time that Xion had been knocked backward by the force of the combustion.

The redhead had a moment only to feel his eyes widen before the girl crashed into him. They tumbled and rolled on the grass. Thankfully, it was quite soft as opposed to the stone floors of Olympus Coliseum or the brick streets of Twilight Town.

When they finally rolled to a halt, Xion was on top. Axel lay moaning for several moments before he realized that he was clutching her head to his shoulder in reflexive protectiveness. He felt her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Flushing, he removed his hand from her inky tresses. She lifted her face to look down at him. She was blushing as furiously as he was.

"Heh, this is becoming a habit," he gave a goofy grin, trying to dispel some of the embarrassment.

She smiled self-consciously and got off of him. Axel stood up. He helped her to her feet; then, he began the arduous task of pulling green blades out of his hair. Xion folded her hands behind her back, looking rather shy all of a sudden.

"Um…mission accomplished," she smiled tenuously.

"Yup," he agreed. "Let's RTC."

The duo made their way back toward the spot where the Dark Corridor had transported them. Xion walked a little slower than her companion, but he didn't blame her. After all, she had just slain a monster. Still…

Axel cast a quick glance over his shoulder. He saw that Xion was frantically combing her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out. Her face was still aglow with pink. Seeing this, Axel could not help but chuckle to himself.

_"Wow, it's not like her to be so girly…"_ he realized. In a joking tone, he inquired, "Is everything okay, Xi?"

The Keyblade wielder dropped her hands to her sides and shot him a startled look. "S-sure!" she replied a little too quickly. "Everything's fine…"

Yet her eye contact was wavering. The redhead lifted one eyebrow knowingly. "Hey now, what golden rule did we establish earlier?"

In spite of her obvious discomfort, Xion giggled softly. "That you won't stop bugging me until I tell you…" she murmured.

He slowed his pace so that he could tap her forehead. "That's right—get it memorized. So…?"

Xion chewed her lip and stared at the ground for several moments. Then, she sighed. "It's just…all day, I've been getting these funny hot sensations on my face," she said.

Axel faltered for a moment, staring at her. It took a considerable effort to keep himself from smiling. That was what she was worried about? And to think that he had been self-conscious about his own blush…. The very thought nearly brought another wave of heat to his cheeks. Of course, Xion had no human memories, so it was not surprising that she was unfamiliar with the concept.

"I mean…" Number XIV continued. "…it keeps happening at the weirdest times like back at the castle when Xigbar was teasing us and when I fell on you just then…"

"Really…?" Axel sped up so that she couldn't see his smirk. He couldn't resist messing with her a bit.

Xion twirled a stand of ebony hair on her finger. Her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. "I'm not sure what's causing it. Maybe I caught some sort of sickness or something…"

"Hmm…" Axel scratched his chin, clenching his teeth to keep from laughing. "Well… if you did, I think it's contagious."

Xion shot him a stunned look. She froze in her tracks. "What…you mean you…?"

Number VIII feigned a serious expression, looking over his shoulder at her. "Yup. I've been feeling it too."

Her hands flew to her mouth in horror. "Oh no! Axel, I'm s-so sorry, I—"

_"Oh man, she's so adorably naïve…" _

Striving desperately not to snicker, Axel waved his hand nonchalantly. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's probably just one of those twenty-four hour bugs—it'll be gone by the time this stupid curse Luxord cast on me is."

"You really think so?"

"I do."

Xion hung her head low. "So…you're not mad at me?"

"Couldn't be if I wanted to," Axel chuckled and tapped his chest. "No heart, remember?"

That didn't seem to comfort her. She continued to stare down at her boots. Axel placed one hand on his hip and scratched his head awkwardly with the other. He wasn't exactly sure how to get out of this. Then, looking around, he realized that they had stopped in the same place where they were waiting for the Emerald Serenade before—for the rose he had cut was still lying idly on the ground.

The flame-haired youth reached down and picked up the flower. Careful to avoid touching the thorns, he stood directly in front of his friend.

"Here…" he said and used the longer thorns like combs to carefully fasten the rose in her hair.

Xion looked up in surprise. Her hand rose to gingerly touch the soft petals. "What is…?"

Stepping back, Axel smirked at her. "Consider it a token of my forgiveness," he announced. "Got it memorized?"

Xion's fingers ran gently over her floral treasure. A smile of pure, untainted joy rose to her lips. She nodded, looking positively radiant.

The Flurry of Dancing Flames felt his confident grin wavering slightly. He had to fight to keep himself from heating up once more.

"_Oi, I'm going to ruin my reputation if I keep on like this…" _Clearing his throat, he turned his back on her.

"Anyways, let's get outta here before we get dragged to some tea party where we're the only mentally stable guests."

"Okay," she beamed and followed him into a shadowy portal.

**Fair warning that I probably should have brought up at the beginning...Roxas is not in this story since the focus is mainly on Axel and Xion. *Gives Roxas cookie* Sorry, buddy, this is when you were training with Phil. Anyways, I hope you liked and please review! The story's only got a couple more chapters left :).**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	5. Truth or Bluff?

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Thanks for all the favorites and reads :D! The next chapter should be the last one...I'm still typing it up lol.**

**XXX**

Twilight Town was as beautiful and burgundy as ever. The setting sun peeked out from behind peach sherbet clouds, shining golden light down upon brick streets and buildings. Tranquil quiet was prevalent in the air. The only sounds that pierced it were an occasional friendly shout and the low whir of the town's trademark tram.

Sighing happily, Xion stretched her arms in an "O" shape above her head. She breathed in the scent of fresh air and clean city. This world was so pleasant…she wondered if Axel and Roxas would agree to move here with her once Organization XIII became human again.

Upon casting a sideways glance at her redheaded companion, Xion suspected that such a relocation was likely. Axel's eyes drank in the sight as if he'd never seen it before. Technically, she supposed he hadn't from his current shorter position. A small, sincere smile played upon his normally sarcasm-twisted lips.

For a moment, Number XIV could only stand there, studying him. In that instant, Axel truly seemed the personification of a live flame. His scarlet hair burned and his luminescent jade eyes glowed. His inky cloak whipped about in the breeze while amber light beat down upon his fair skin, making it shine. He was uniquely handsome—always had been and always would be. Almost unconsciously, she fingered the rose in her hair.

Apparently sensing her gaze, Axel turned to look at the girl. Quirking an eyebrow, he asked, "What? Do I still have grass in my hair or something?"

Xion felt as if all of the world's sunlight had just been absorbed into her face. "N-no, you're hair's fine," she responded, trying not to cringe at her stutter. "I was just wondering…if you'd like to go get ice cream."

She looked down, shuffling her feet awkwardly. She heard rather than saw Axel's smirk.

"Does Xemnas have a creepy fixation with Kingdom Hearts? You bet, let's go!"

He took off through the Tram Common. The dark-haired girl followed, pressing her hands to her cheeks to hide the rosiness.

_"Whatever this 'bug' is, I hope Axel doesn't have it as bad as I do_…" Do it did relieve her a bit to know that she wasn't the only one feeling like a walking, radioactive cherry.

The two Nobodies made their way over to the ice cream shop. Its owner, an elderly spectacled woman with grey hair, was restocking the cooler inside her kiosk. Her white and gunmetal-purred cat was sunning itself atop the shop's awning.

As if he owned the place, Axel strolled over and leaned his arms on the counter. The cat cracked open a single eye. It gave Axel a lazy look of acknowledgment before returning to its nap. Apparently, the creature was used to his presence.

It was at that moment that Xion realized the danger. That cat…this world's people…had seen him before. Blanching in terror, Xion reached out to stop him. It was too late. Axel had already opened his mouth.

"Yo, can I get two Sea-Salt Ice Creams?"

Not looking up from her work, the lady smiled warmly. "I know that voice," she said, standing erect. "How are…" and she trailed off when she saw him. She dropped a plastic-wrapped ice cream sandwich she'd been holding. Her eyes grew almost as round as the lenses in front of them.

Xion rushed to Axel's side, though there was little she could do. She felt him grow tense and heard him whisper, "Oh, crap…"

The ice cream lady began shaking her head. She took off her spectacles, cleaning at them urgently with her apron.

"F-forgive me, I must need stronger glasses…and hearing aids. But…I could have _sworn_ that you were my best customer when I first saw you…"

The duo shared a brief, anxious glance. Shifting from foot to foot, Xion began, "N-no, ma'am, your ears and glasses are fine. He, uh…he's just…umm…"

Her face was ablaze once more as she floundered. Something like panic built up within her supposedly empty torso. Always the smoother of the two, Axel gave her hand a quick squeeze to quiet her. Then, he spoke up.

"What my friend is trying to say is that I'm your best customer's aunt's brother's father's fourth cousin twice removed. I'm just here for a quick visit and you'll probably never see me again. Got it memorized?"

The woman blinked once; then twice. Convinced, if not, subdued, she moved to fill his order.

"Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter or you are or who you look like," she chuckled. "As long as I'm not losing my marbles, you're welcome here anytime."

"A wise philosophy to practice," Axel smiled coolly, though Xion could see the relief entering his eyes.

He exchanged the money for the ice-blue bars and they bade the woman goodbye. Number XIV felt like running away, though she knew that doing so would only make them look suspicious. Her companion looked equally desperate to get away, striding alongside her.

Before they could start up the hill to Station Heights, the ice cream lady called to them, "I must say—I can certainly see the family resemblance!" she smiled sweetly. "The two of you…such cute youngsters!"

Axel grew as rigid as a metal pole. He tossed her a sheepish grin, waved, and quickened his pace up the slope. Xion hurried to keep up with him.

"You know…" the redhead started while they hiked. "…maybe we should skip the clock tower today. I mean, I've been coming here a lot longer than you and Roxas. The locals have all seen me at least once. I don't think, as Saix would say, that it would be prudent for us to risk any more incidents."

Xion nodded in agreement. "Yeah…besides, Roxas might be sad if he finds out we went to the tower even though we knew he wouldn't be able to make it."

As soon as the words left her lips, Xion was instantly humiliated. She wanted to pull her hood over her face and hide. Of course, Roxas _couldn't _be sad—not without a heart. Why was she always saying such things, making herself look so naïve?

But Axel neither teased her as Xigbar wood nor reprimanded her like Saix. Turning down the Back Ally, he reached over and squeezed her shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right. I didn't even think about that. Let's just RTC. We can eat ice cream and work on our reports or something. Heh, maybe I won't be so bored to tears if I have someone suffering through it with me."

Xion laughed. "Oh, aren't _I_ lucky…"

Number VIII shot her a playful grin. Then, he looked down, his expression growing somewhat grim. The girl tilted her head thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?"

"'Cute'…" he scoffed. "That word is associated with Moogles and baby animals and…I dunno, Demyx I guess, since he's kinda got that happy puppy thing goin' for him. But 'cute' is not, I repeat, _not_, used to describe Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames." He arched his eyebrows. "Got it memorized?"

Xion had to clench her jaw to keep from laughing aloud. To be honest, she thought that his current form was pretty cute….plus, now was a perfect opportunity to get some rare leverage over her normally elder friend.

Relaxing her face into a cool expression, Xion lifted one brow as she had often seen him do. She then shrugged a single shoulder. Axel stared at her.

"What kinda answer is that?" he demanded, placing his hands on his hips. He leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching. "Well, missy?"

Finally, the young female couldn't take it anymore. Laughing melodiously, she fled and let the concealing embrace of a Dark Corridor envelope her. Axel was hot on her heels, his burning green eyes glaring good-naturedly.

**XXX**

The two young Nobodies opted not to report into Saix when they returned to the castle. He would most likely bid them finish their reports and then come back to him for some monotonous, elementary task. No, Axel had had far enough work for one day. He now wanted to spend time with his friend…plus, their ice creams were melting.

Licking at the dripping blue substance, he teleported them to his bedroom. Upon stepping into the metal-walled chamber, he was assaulted with an immediate problem—he had no extra seating. There was his bed situated near the center of the room, a large window overlooking a starless sky, a small nightstand…and that was it. Xemnas wasn't one for providing unnecessary luxury to his subordinates.

"Hmm…" Axel scratched his head awkwardly. "I guess the bed's as good a seating arrangement as any." But they needed a backrest of some sort.

Sticking his half-eaten ice cream in his mouth, he went over the bed's side. He braced his hands on the cold white sheets and pushed. Nothing happened, save for pain in his wrists. Number VIII pushed again. He clenched his teeth and grunted with effort. It moved approximately one inch. Blessed with his usual lean, strong body, he had never realized how heavy the infernal piece of furniture was.

"Why did Xemans have to put this freaking thing smack dab in the middle of the room anyway?" Axel growled.

Fiery heat rushed to his face when he recalled that Xion, a girl, was watching his epic failure. _"Well, there goes one more shred of dignity…"_ he thought dryly.

"Erm…" Axel gave his friend a helpless grimace. "…you think you could gimme a hand with this?"

"Of course!" Xion replied brightly.

Once again, the pyro was glad she was not Larxene—otherwise, he'd have been hearing snide remarks regarding his manliness for the rest of the day…week…year.

Together, they shoved the bed against the wall perpendicular to the window. They didn't want to fall into the Brink of Despair after all—they would be killed or re-killed in an instant. Xion seemed perfectly content with the wall as a backrest. Axel still was not satisfied. Leaning against an icy wall wasn't much better than leaning against nothing at all.

"Let's go steal some extra pillows from the terminated members rooms," he proposed.

Number XIV nearly dropped her ice cream. She stared at him with round, doe-like eyes that he thought would, one day, be the death of him. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea…"

"Why not?" he grinned roguishly at her. "S'not like they're using them."

She winced at his dark humor, though he could tell by the slight flicker in her gaze that she knew he had a point.

_"She's like Roxas…"_ Axel thought, his rascally-glinting eyes softening. _"She's mindful of her fellow members. The rest of us treat each other like what we are—nothing."_

Axel placed a hand on her shoulder as he assured her, "It would be better than stealing live members' stuff. I doubt they would appreciate coming home after a long mission to find their bedding gone."

The girl considered this for several moments, chewing her lower lip. She knew better than to ask if they could just get what they needed from the supply closet—Saix had just finished reorganizing it and would go berserk on the first person to defile his hard work. Eventually, she gave a small nod. The tiniest of smiles formed on her doll-like features.

Grinning, Axel stuck a mostly-barren ice cream stick into his mouth. "Alrighty, let's go then."

They made their way through the uninviting hallways toward what Demyx often called the "post-apocalyptic wing" of Organization XIII's living quarters. Since it was on the way to his target location, Axel slipped into Marluxia's old room to nab his pillow. The chamber, devoid of artificial lighting since it was no longer occupied, was filled with pots of dead plants. They looked even more cadaverous beneath the sickly lighting of Kingdom Hearts. Axel felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine.

He seized the pillow off of the Graceful Assassin's pristinely-made bed. As he started toward the door, however…he stopped dead in his tracks before reaching it. The Nothingness in his veins dropped to absolute zero. He brought the pillow closer to his face and breathed in. No…he hadn't imagined it. It smelled strongly of roses, its former owner's trademark flower.

Nausea twisted Axel's stomach as he recalled the man's cruel ways and the deadly scythe that had nearly cleaved him in two on one occasion. It seemed revolting that the man had been born with such a pretty, flawless face…and had harbored such a repulsive nature. He promptly burned the pillow until it fell in ashes to the frigid floor. He left quickly.

Joining him out in the corridor, Xion was holding Larxene's pillow. She frowned and sniffed.

"Do you smell something burning?"

"Probably just Demyx trying to plug too many amps into one socket…I keep telling him that fire and electricity don't mix," he placed a hand on Xion's back and propelled her down the corridor. "Anywho, _moving on_." He dared not look back.

"What's burning are some rather sour memories…" Though he knew he shouldn't care, the redhead found that he did not want his friends to learn of his past dealings at Castle Oblivion. This was not just because it would complicate his and Saix's conspiracy. It shouldn't have bothered him, he knew…yet every time he imagined the two Keyblade wielders finding out about his assassination job, a sickening sensation dangerously close to fear nagged at his brain.

"Of course, Saix would scoff at that…" Number VIII told himself. "No matter how vivid they seem at times, any emotions I claim to feel are one-hundred percent fake…"

Xion's voice pulled him out of his morbid contemplation. "Are these the rooms you wanted?"

Startled, Axel blinked back to reality. Xion had stopped walking and was studying him with a perplexed expression. Forcing back his brain-fog, he took a look at his surroundings. He now stood in a silver hall with a dimmed version of the castle's usual illumination. Three doors to three rooms were chiseled into the wall before him—Vexen's, Lexeaus's, and Zexion's.

Xion popped into Lexeaus's room. Fascinated by the various puzzles he had attempted to solve while he was living, she was distracted for several moments. Axel was semi-grateful for this. It gave him time to get over his sneezing feet as he stumbled out of Zexion's room, choking on the dust that had collected on the Cloaked Schemer's book collection over time.

The redheaded youth downright refused to go into Vexen's room. "Because I don't want whatever disease Dr. Vexenstein had that made him act like such a complete weirdo," was his blunt explanation.

The coal-haired girl looked at him oddly, but did not query further. Of course, she hadn't know Vexen…so she had no idea. While Axel was being truthful in saying that he did not want Vexen's things, it was mainly because he didn't want to think about what had become of the man—namely what _he_ had done to him. Though he knew such a thing was impossible, he felt as if Xion could reach into his mind with her piercing eyes and view that cold, calculating moment in her friend's C.O life.

Clearing his throat against discomfort, Axel announced, "I think three's plenty. I still have my pillow so we've actually got four. C'mon, let's head back before we alert the Werewolf."

After returning to his room, the Flurry of Dancing Flames proceeded to pack the unaccommodating backrest with their fluffy loot. When he was finished, he found himself looking at a prison-like room with a bed that looked like it had been pulled straight out of a hospital and a heavily-padded wall.

"And now my bedroom looks like an asylum," Axel chuckled ghoulishly.

Xion looked at him inquisitively. "What's an asy—"

"Heeeeeeey, whaddaya say we get on those reports, huh?" Axel interrupted her, sweatdropping. He definitely was not in the mood for that particular life lesson.

The pyro sat cross-legged on the bed, sucking on the miniscule remnants of his ice cream. He produced a pen, paper, and two magazines so that they would have hard surfaces to write on. Before setting his paper on top of it, he peered at the periodical's cover. It had a picture of the Organization's Moogle and read in obnoxiously bright letters, "Better items than the Twilight Town, Hollow Bastion, and Traverse Town Moogles combined!"

"Heh…" Axel smirked. "Talk about shameless self promotion…"

Despite their being plenty of pillows, the redhead found himself sitting at the very edge of one end of the padding. Xion did likewise at the other end. No words passed between them and they avoided making eye contact. Only the quiet scratching of their pens disrupted the stillness.

_"Well, this is awkward…"_ Axel thought to himself.

In many instances, it was common for two companions who had met as a result of a mutual friend to feel somewhat lost around each other. But there was more to it than that in this situation. Axel had opened up to her—had brought her farther into his territory than ever before. He could sense her tension elicited by a conflicting desire to ask a million questions and a hesitance to do so. The pyro was just that kind of guy who could be easy to talk to and standoffish at the very same time. She was probably more tempted to grill him about things now due to his altered appearance.

Finishing the final section of his report, Axel capped his pen. He cast a sidelong glance at Xion. She too had finished her paperwork. She was now lying on her stomach, flipping through the Moogle Synthesis magazine he had given her. Though she appeared busy, Number VIII knew that she was far, far away. Her eyes were glazed with thought and she turned the pages of the magazine far too quickly to be reading any of it.

Axel quirked an eyebrow at her. Oh, when would she learn? Smiling mischievously, he carefully placed his report on his nightstand. He then took his own magazine and unceremoniously threw it off the bed. It landed on the metal floor with a loud _crack!_

When the noise reached her ears, Xion nearly fell off the bed. Her eyes opened wide in shock. She braced her hands on the mattress, ready to leap to her feet at the slightest sign of danger.

Folding his arms behind his head, Axel gave her a smug look. "I'm not even gonna go into the whole 'I won't stop bugging you' thing since I'm pretty sure you've got it memorized by now," he informed her.

The girl stared at him for a moment. Then she chuckled, tossed aside her reading material, and leaned her weight on her elbows. Face resting upon her hands, Xion stared off into the distance, as if mentally organizing whatever subjects she'd been pondering.

"I was just wondering…why did you want to get away from Marluxia's room so badly?"

She fixed him with those terribly blue eyes and Axel knew he could not lie to her. He certainly wasn't going to tell the full truth…but he could give her a truncated one at least. With a sigh, he leaned back against the padded wall. He spread one leg out while drawing the other upward. It felt strange to have this much room on his normally "adequate" bed.

"Well…" the redhead began, feeling his green eyes grow misty with remembrance. "…I guess it's because the time I spent with Marulxia wasn't exactly the best time of my non-existence. He did some pretty rotten stuff at C.O.—stuff that nearly got all of us killed."

Xion nodded slowly. Her hand reached up to stroke the rose, still firmly-planted in her hair. She looked at him once more. "What happened? What did they do?"

_"Here's where it gets tricky…"_ Axel struggled to keep his expression calm. Carefully choosing his words, he explained, "The Castle Oblivion team was working on some…experimentation of sorts. All of the members involved, excluding myself, kinda turned on each other. Each one wanted to take control of the whole project. In the end, they all ended up getting eliminated because of their own betrayal."

"What were they like?"

The redheaded youth described each of their personalities to her—particularly their dangerous flaws. He wasn't sure if that was for her benefit or for his own. Xion hummed softly, her eyebrows furrowing.

"In that case, maybe it's better that they're not here anymore. It sounds like they would've hurt a lot of people…" she said.

Axel toyed with the tassels of his cloak, considering this. He'd never really thought of it that way before. _"I was just following orders before…but she's right. They would have destroyed Sora and Riku…maybe even Namine."_

Some invisible weight that he hadn't fully realized existed lessened on his shoulders a little. He didn't understand it, but it felt good. Dropping his arms back into his lap, he gave his friend a small smile.

"Yeah…I guess you're right. So, as long as we're playing twenty questions, riddle me this—how come you're so concerned about my well-being? Usually I'm the one worrying about you and Roxas."

Xion's face flushed again. Her eyes opened wide, looking like an ocean against a pinkish sunset. It was a rather pretty sight. "W-what do you mean?" she stuttered. "I worry about you all the time!"

"Why?" Axel retorted. "I'm a big boy."

Number XIV studied his face for several seconds. Axel met her gaze evenly, burning emeralds clashing with oceanic sapphires. _"I'm not just asking to be a smart aleck. I really am curious. She and Roxas are so…different."_

Finally, the girl sighed. She dropped her gaze and let her arms fall back onto the bed. Her fingers traced circles on the sheet beneath her.

She said, "I guess that's why. You're the big, strong one—the guy who always takes care of me and Roxas." Her downward gaze turned melancholy. "But…who's looking out for you? It doesn't seem fair…"

Axel could only stare at her in amazement.

**Awww, Xion's so sweet...I hope you liked and please review :)!**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	6. Checkmate

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Thanks so much to Taliax for reviewing :D! This is the last chapter.**

**XXX**

Xion still had her head bent low. Her last words hung on the air. Axel studied her, stunned and bewildered. It was strange, no...unheard of for a Nobody to say such heartfelt things.

The members of Organization XIII could claim to be bonded by a common state of non-being all they wanted, but it didn't change the fact that they were each looking out for their own welfare. But the thirteenth and fourteenth members actually cared for their fellow men. They were special in every sense of the word.

The pyro reached over and tussled his friend's hair. "You and Roxas do a lot more for me than you think," he assured her. "Trust me. I'm not just saying that to be nice. Sometimes it helps just knowing that someone else is looking out for you."

Xion looked at him with those painfully blue puppy eyes. Axel's chuckle grew warm, though he somehow managed to stay resilient and end the pep talk right there. After all, this was a matter concerning his reputation. He DID NOT say mushy things...most of the time.

Seeming to sense that no amount of "bugging" would get him to spill his guts, Xion nodded quietly. She toyed idly with her barren Popsicle stick while Axel chewed on his. They rather resembled the Hollow Bastion pilot Cid and the Great Ninja Yuffie.

_"Memories..."_ he thought, leaning back against the cushions and folding his arms over his abdomen. _"...some are salty and some are sweet-just like my favorite ice cream."_

It was then that Xion inquired, "Axel...what's the real reason you were upset about being a kid again?"

He nearly choked on the stick. Yanking the thing out of his mouth, he shot her an alarmed look. The determination on Xion's face was tantamount to her not letting this go. Axel sighed. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, wishing he had his intimidating size again.

"Oi...my keenness for deciphering the reactions of others has rubbed off on you," he said in a tone that was meant to be joking but came out weary instead. "I dunno, Xion... I guess it's because of all the human memories it brings up. I know you and Roxas are dying to get yours back, but believe me, it ain't all gravy. It'd take awhile to explain..."

At this, Xion crawled forward on her belly until she was only an inch or so away from him. She leaned her cheek casually on her palm, her face a mask of "I don't have anywhere to be."

With no way out of the situation, Axel gave up. He told her-not everything of course. If he could humor himself with a bit of human terminology, that would have been emotional suicide. He told her of happy times and of sad times; but he stayed far away from anything of utmost importance...namely his human run-ins with other members or the way in which he'd become a Nobody. Those moments were too personal...too raw.

By the time their conversation lulled, it was getting late. Axel could feel fatigue and soreness setting into his child body, which was not used to such intense exercise. Xion's eyelids were drooping. Her thick eyelashes fluttered.

Right as the redhead was stifling a yawn, Number XIV sleepily asked, "How come you called Saix 'Isa' earlier?"

Why not? He was so exhausted; he couldn't think of a smooth transition out of the issue. Besides...it was only a name, right? What harm could come of that? What Saix didn't know wouldn't hurt him...

"That was his name when he was human. I was...acquainted with him."

He still had enough of his wits about him not to tell her of their childhood friendship. Xion hummed softly. Her cheek leaned further into her palm.

"...What was...your name...when you were human...?" her words were a bit slurred.

_"It's just a name..."_ he told himself again. _"S'not like she can delve into your past with just that." _

Plus, he was too tired to formulate his usual clever wordplay. A pleasant numbness had begun to spread from his brain down to his toes...and he didn't really want to lie to her.

"Lea..." he murmured as his gaze traveled to the heart-shaped moon outside his window. "My name was Lea. Got it memorized?"

The only response he got was a sudden weight on his legs and a mousy snore. Axel blinked. He looked down and saw that his friend had quite literally "fallen" asleep, her head having dropped onto his lap.

If one of the Vexen Replicas had sneaked in and cranked his room's temperature down to absolute zero, Axel would not have sported a single goose bump at that moment. He blushed more fervently than ever before. His wiry frame was racked with a panicky teenage awkwardness that he was not certain would have been calmer had he been his proper age. He was more than a little out of his depth when it came to the "tender moments" department.

Fortunately, the initial shock quickly faded when Number VIII glimpsed her sleeping face-lips slightly pursed with slow breathing and lashes brushing against her ivory cheeks. Xion looked so peaceful and Axel could hardly blame her for dozing off on him. They had had a full day. He himself was already feeling his load.

Axel yawned widely. "She's got the right idea..." he felt his eyelids growing heavy. "...we oughta go turn in our reports..." he moved his hand toward her petite form in preparation to rouse her. "...and go to bed..."

He saw the ruby red rose...the rose against the blackness of her hair...just the blackness. His hand fell upon her shoulders, but he did not wake her-for Axel had fallen into a slumber as tranquil and deep as Xion's, comforted by her warmth as was she by his.

**XXX**

A sudden bright flash tore him from dreams of ice cream and Frisbees. Lea groaned, squeezing his eyelids shut even tighter. He tried to pull his flame-patterned blanket closer, but it seemed to be in a tangled was atop him. It must have been a rainy Hollow Bastion morning-for he could hear the raindrops pitter-pattering outside his window. Relaxing into his battalion of cushions, he let his hyperactive mind drift...drift...

FLASH! Again, that infernal light! The redhead threw his forearm over his eyes and whined, "Moooooom, it's Saturday...lemme sleep..."

A harsh, rough laugh sounded. Still half-comatose, Lea frowned. Mom sure sounded strange today...maybe she was getting a cold or something...

"Saturday?" a drawling voice scoffed. "As if. Wakey, wakey, Axel eggs 'n bakey!"

All remnants of sleep were abruptly banished from the boy's mind, replaced by a rapidly waxing horror. For he remembered-he was NOT Lea, it was NOT the weekend, and that voice was NOT his mother.

Serpent green eyes snapped open. They were instantly assaulted by the steely cell that was his bedroom-Axel's bedroom. He was still reclined sideways on the bed. He had a nasty crick in his neck from sleeping at such an odd angle. A lone figure stood before him, his one eye of topaz glinting malevolently.

Rubbing his aching neck, Axel growled, "Oi, whaddaya want, Xiggy?"

Grinning coyly, Xigbar produced a camera. "Oh, you know...just snapping a few precious moments for old times' sake...and maybe blackmail."

Blackmail? Apparently that had been the source of the flashing Axel had originally taken to be his mother turning the light on. He frowned.

"Precious mo..." and he stopped when he heard his own voice. It was low, and not just because he was tired and grumpy.

Gasping, Number VIII ran a gloved hand over his face. It was chiseled. He felt his crimson hair and realized that it was longer. So were his legs, which dangled haphazardly off the bed. Luxord's spell had worn off!"

Excitement surging through him, Axel tried to get up...only to find a light yet significant weight keeping him from doing so. He couldn't move his left arm either. Perplexed, he looked down...and immediately identified the "precious moment" to which Xigbar had been referring.

Engulfed in the world of slumber, the pyro had thought the warm bundle beside him was his blanket. Reality showed him that it was actually a pretty, petite girl. Xion was sleeping peacefully, snuggled into Axel's lap. She clutched his arm to her as if it were a teddy bear.

Axel's face turned so red that his purple tattoos practically blended into the skin. He was tempted to jump up, but he didn't want to send the poor girl flying.

"I-It's not what you think!" the redhead frantically backpedaled.

But the Freeshooter was already doubled over, laughing. Axel rolled his eyes skyward and flopped back, groaning. He winced as his now taller head hit the wall.

_"Well, this is just great..."_ he thought grimly. "_Try getting out of this one, Axel..."_

Xigbar threw his head back and cackled. "Looks like 'lil poppet isn't as sweet and innocent as we all thought if she managed to catch the eye of Organization XIII's favorite hothead!"

With his free hand, Axel rubbed his face, glaring. "What're you doing in my room, old man?" he demanded.

Wiping a jolly tear from his eye, Xigbar smirked at him. "Well, our lovable blue-haired stick seems to be lodged in a particularly thick puddle of mud today," he announced. "He got tired of waiting for you and Poppet to turn in your mission reports," he jabbed a thumb into his chest. "So he sent the castle's most charming resident to come check on ya."

Axel gave an equally roguish grin, catlike eyes gleaming. "Good to know. I'll holler when he shows up."

"Oh, hardee har har."

It was not unusual for Numbers II and VIII to exchange witty banter. This time, however, Axel was stalling. If he could just focus long enough on that stupid camera, he could get it to combust. Just a little longer...almost there...

"Gotcha..." Axel showed his pointy incisors as he ordered his pyrokenesis to detonate the target.

It was not damaged. Just the opposite in fact-a glimmering translucent sphere surrounded the camera, reducing any fire that might have caused damaged to smoke.

"What the...?"

Shaking his finger, Xigbar "tskd". "Come now, Flamsey. Space magic may be my forte, but I'm not ignorant in the ways of Reflera." He poked Axel in the forehead. "I also know a thing or two about how you arsonists operate."

The Flurry of Dancing Flames growled his retort.

Xigbar replied, "Watch your mouth there, dude. There are _ladies_ present."

He reached over and ran a hand over Xion's obsidian locks. She actually shrank away from his touch in her sleep. Her grip on Axel's arm grew tighter.

Something hot and protective blazed within Axel's core. Her swatted the older man's hand away and sat, glowering.

Xigbar smirked. He turned toward the door. "I have orders from Saix," he stated evenly. "To put his words in rated G format: You and Number XIV are to get your lazy butts to the Grey Room and you had better have a darn good excuse for not reporting in last night."

"Is he hissy fitting yet?"

"Verging on it."

Sighing, Axel passed a hand over his sleep-mussed hair. "Reaaaaaaaaaaally not in the mood for a lecture, but I guess it's better than a nuclear meltdown," he muttered.

"Have fun, kiddo," the Freeshooter chuckled sympathetically before departing.

For several moments, the pyro just stared at the ceiling and blinked. He had had a rude awakening indeed, but to keep Saix waiting much longer was to court an Unidentified Giant Heartless mission.

Then he remembered Xion. Staving off a flush, Axel gently shook her shoulder. "Hey Xi, wake up..."

The girl shifted slightly. Otherwise, she was not roused. She was so tiny and doll-like compared to his now-normal-sized form.

"Heavy sleeper, eh?" Axel quirked his eyebrows playfully. "All right then...if you don't wake up, I'm gonna have to sing," he warned.

No response. If anything, she held even tighter to his hand. A grin formed on the redhead's impish features. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you..." he took a deep breath. _"It's a small world after all...it's a small world after all..."_

After a few moments, Xion's face gradually grew scrunched. She slapped a hand over her exposed ear, moaning, "Nnnngh, Demyx...cut it out...nngh hate that song..."

Smirking ghoulishly, her friend leaned in closer to whisper to her, "Ditto. But the name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

Sapphire eyes flew open in shock. Xion literally sprang upward, landing on her knees beside him. The rose fell from her locks onto the mattress next to her. Her hair was sticking in many different directions and she bore a look reminiscent of a drowsy golden retriever puppy.

The entire spectacle was rather cute and Axel couldn't help chuckling. "Nice bed hair," he commented, lacing his fingers behind his head and leaning back coolly.

Frantically smoothing her inky tresses, Xion stared at him, his lap, then at the room. "How...what did I...when did...?" she did a double take. "You...you're back to normal!"

"Yup," Number VIII affirmed.

He got off the bed and stretched his arms, appreciating the muscles they sported as opposed to his spindly child ones. Pacing the room, he enjoyed the comfortable length of his legs. He relished all these things and yet...there had been something to being a kid again-something rejuvenating and hopeful. It had reminded him who he was again.

Rolling his shoulders to straighten out the kinks, the Flurry of Dancing Flames cast a sidelong glance at his friend. She was still sitting on the mattress, absently twirling her flower. She wore a small smile, but her eyes were downcast.

Axel rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "Hey, what's with the face?"

Xion shrugged. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't make me sing again 'cuz I SO will."

A smile tugged at her lips as she giggled softly. "I guess I'm just gonna miss kid Axel," she confessed. "I feel like...I really got to know you."

Saix would have scorned a statement of such sentimentality. Contrarily, Axel knew that, had he possessed a heart, her words would have touched it. Number VIII went to stand before her. He bent at the waist so that he was gazing directly into her face. The girl looked up, her oceanic eyes meeting his sea serpent ones.

"If it makes ya feel any better," he began with a light, cocky smile. "I'm still that same guy. I've just gotten a little taller and learned a little self-control since then. Got it memorized?"

He tapped her forehead to emphasize his point. Staring into his face, Xion gave a sweet, sincere, bright smile. In the light of that smile, Axel felt his body temperature spike. He dragged long fingers through her hair before standing up and clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Ahem...anyway...I don't have any silver on me so we'd better not keep our resident werewolf waiting. Let's get goin'."

Axel grabbed both their reports. He then hesitated...and held his hand out to her. His confidence wavered as she arched her brows smilingly at him. He blamed it on the after effects of teenage hormones.

Number XIV slipped her small hand into his. Together, they headed into the outer corridor. In spite of their difference in height, Axel felt that they were more on the same level than ever before.

Upon arriving in the Grey Room, the duo was met by a pleasant surprise-Saix had been sent out on one of his once-in-a-heart-shaped-moon missions! He had left a note on the coffee table that read:

_Axel, Xion. I do not have time to deal with whatever nonsense drove you to turn in your reports so outrageously late. Therefore, I trust that you will be vigilant in delivering them before you depart for your missions. Xion, your mission today is heart collection in Agrabah. Axel, you are to reduce the Cymbal Monkey population in Twilight Town. Perform admirably and I will be willing to let this transgression slide._

_-Saix_

Axel glowered sullenly at the note. "Seriously? Again with the Cymbal Monkeys?"

Xion, on the other hand, sighed with relief. "I guess we got lucky today."

She went to turn in the reports, seeming pleased. The redhead was not satisfied. Things _never_ worked out this smoothly. He narrowed his peridot eyes at the paper, frowning.

"I'll believe in that kinda luck when hell freezes over," he muttered, burning the paper in his hand to cinders.

In response, a mocking laugh sounded. Blinking in surprise, Axel looked around. He spotted Xigbar several yards away. He was installing upgrades on his guns, his golden eye narrowed in a stitched grin.

"Don't be such a pessimist, Flamesilocks," the older man advised him. "Sometimes things just work out for the greater good."

Axel tilted his head and squinted in suspicion. There was some sort of double meaning hidden in there...but he couldn't quite translate it.

Rather than elaborating, Xigbar banished his firearms and opened a portal. He cracked his neck a few times, getting ready. "Let's see, I got my weapons nicely upgraded, my supplies fully stocked, and my investments sufficiently guarded...guess I'm off!"

He tossed a crafty smile over his shoulder. Then he was gone. Number VIII scratched his head in sheer puzzlement.

_"Investments? What does he...?"_ Answering his own question, he wanted to face-palm.

Of course, only Numbers I and II had power over VII. Xigbar must have used his influence to get Saix sent on a rare mission-not out of consideration for Axel's desire to NOT get yelled at, but to give himself a bit of leverage over the redhead. After all, he didn't want to return home to find his beloved camera with the reputation-sullying picture a pile of ashes. He knew that the pyro was smart enough to know that it would NOT be pleasant if he "owed Xigbar one."

The corners of Axel's lips tugged upward slightly_. "Fine, Xiggy. I'll play it your way...for now. But the second you do something stupid that ticks me off, that camera's toast. Got it memorized?" _

Thinking these things, Axel summoned his smoldering chakrams. Relieved to find that they fit in his hands again, he made his way over to the Moogle.

The cream-colored creature was sitting of the floor, flipping through one of the synthesis magazines. Its massive rosy nose twitched as he read. The pompom on its head bobbed in the air every time it moved.

When the assassin's shadow fell over the tiny creature, it squeaked in protest. "Hey, you're blocking my reading light, kupo!"

"What?" Axel grinned puckishly. "Don't you want a new customer to rip off?"

At this, the Moogle looked up. Its minuscule purple bat wings fluttered, making it rise into the air. "Whoa...you got old since the last time I saw you, kupo!"

The young man's brows furrowed and he stuck out his lip in a slight pout. 'I'm not old!'"

A giggle sounded behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Xion coming to stand beside him. She clutched a justly-glinting silver and gold Keyblade. With her free hand, she reached over to lightly touch his arm.

"No, he's not old..." the girl smiled sweetly up at her friend. "...he's just right."

Axel felt rather than saw his face darken to match the Moogle's pompom. Xion winked at him, smiled at the Moogle, and headed off to her mission through a Corridor of Darkness.

For several moments, Axel could only stand there rather stupidly. A mixture of flattery, embarrassment, and pleasure was churning in a convoluted mess in his brain. In his own twisted way...Luxord had been right. Yesterday had been chaotic, insane, unexpected...but it had somehow all worked out for the best. Lady Luck hadn't cursed him with a joker-she had merely dealt him a wild card.

The Moogle finally pulled him from his thoughts. "Are you blushing, kupo?" it inquired with an annoying hint of amusement.

Axel death-glared at the flying con-artist. "One more comment from the peanut gallery and that antennae, clown-nose, _thing _on your head turns into a roasted marshmallow on a stick."

"Try it and I'll tell the rest of Organization XIII you got caught cuddling with Xion."

"...I'm going to kill Xigbar."

**XXX**

**Haha gotta love the Moogle :). That's the end! I hope you enjoyed the story and please, please review :D! Thanks you for all the reads, favorites, and subscribers!**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


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